In the Storm

I have talked with many Christians who are troubled by the fact that in spite of their faith, prayers, trust in God, etc., they continue to live in a storm. The waves crash about them, the lightening threatens to incinerate them.

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus calms a storm (click here to read it). Doesn’t He calm the storm today? What about my storm? Yes, He did calm the storm. But I’m afraid the question misses the point. In fact, the same observation can be made of many of Jesus miracles. Jesus healed the man born blind, why does blindness continue, even for the devoutest of Christian believers? Lazarus was raised from the dead. Can’t Jesus bring back my loved one?

Jesus did not calm the storm to make everyone’s life easy. In fact, storms continued, and continue to this day on the Sea of Galilee, and virtually everywhere else. Jesus’ miracles were primarily about demonstrating who He is.

The miracles of Jesus are not promises that we, too, will receive the same miracles, but that we can trust the one who can to lead us through the storm to his purposes. In fact, after He calmed the storm, Jesus asked rhetorically, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” The implication is that the disciples should not have been frightened by the storm — they can trust the one who created all to lead them through the storm!